Boxoffice-July.30.1979

BOXOFFICE/JULY 30, 1979
Arson of Gem Theatre
blamed on local police
ST. JOHN. Mo—Two St. John policemen
and a former sergeant have been arrested in
connection with a fire that caused SI 00.000
damage to Harman Moseley's Gem Theatre,
formerly the St John's Theatre, on April 30
Charged with arson and burglary in war
rants issued July 1 3 were patrolmen Randall
Plaggenburg and Perry Myers, and Michael
Dunn, a former sergeant who had resigned
from the department in May
In the months preceding the fire. Moseley
had accused local police of "incontrovertible
acts of unwarranted harrassment" of his
teenage patrons. Police had accused the
youngsters of loitering, drinking beer and
smoking marijuana on the premises, and had
threatened to jail teenagers if they were found
in ihc Gem I 'heatre. despite, adds Mosely. an
absence Of X raied films.
Moseley and his wife held two formal
meeiings with officials of the City of St. John
and sought help through the American Civil
Liberties Union, the FBI and the U.S. Justice
Department, but none was offered.
The blame for the fire was placed at first on
a popcorn machine that had supposedly been
left on all night Moseley immediately accused
St. John police of having set the fire, but in
vestigators continued to blame the popcorn
machine.
The investigators' attitudes were changed,
however, when Moseley turned over to police
a letter that a local woman had sent to the
theatre The woman, who offered Moseley
moral support, was grateful to the theatre
owner and his wife because they had once
returned a wallet lost in the theatre with S23
LINCOLN
The Cinema 1 & 2 seem to be in a neck
biting syndrome this summer, as "Nightwing"
closes July 12. and the "bloody good"
"Dracula" opened on Friday the 13th, the
next day. On the sister screen of the duo
The Plaza 4 theatres has a crowd drawer
with "The Inlaws" at the Plaza 1. Word of
mouth must be circulating, because the film
keeps drawing larger and larger audiences.
"Bloodline" is doing only fair, while "The Ap
pie Dumpling Gang Rides Again" is doing
tremendous business for the theatre complex.
The disappointing "Butch and Sundance: the
Early Days" left July 1 2 and is being followed
by "CHOMPS."
At the C uiiper Lincoln. 007 and
"Moonraker" combined to produce a bang-up
Fourth of July week. The James Bond film is
staying until early August when it will be
replaced by "Just You and Me. Kid." which
management is hoping will be another "Oh.
God!"
Wednesday and Thursday matinees at the
Cooper/Lincoln are special "Kiddie Shows"
which produce long popcorn lines and lots of
empty candy boxes.
The Cinema 1 & 2 has just hired Len
Vyhlidal as its new assistant manager. He is
scheduled to start Sunday, July 1 5. The Plaza
4 is still continuing its search for a new
manager for the quadplex.
"Willie Nelson's Fourth of July Celebration"
opened July 13 at the Stuart for two
weeks, and was followed by "The Muppet
Movie" July 27. A special premiere on July 26
and promotion for the film were in the works
still inside.
Her letter also mentioned a rumor that said
a policeman directing traffic at the scene of
the fire told another policeman they had "gone
too far" in selling the blaze.
The investigation was redirected, and
because Dunn and Plaggenburg were the only
two policemen at the scene of the fire, they
were immediately suspected.
Dunn at once admitted everything and tokl
investigators that he had also set his own car
on fire two days before the theatre fire to col
leel insurance money.
He said that on the night of the fire, he and
Plaggenburg, who were on duty, and Myers,
who was off